Handsy
by ragenink
Summary: AU: First meeting Sign Language bases fic from tumblr
1. Chapter 1

**This had been in my head all night so I typed it up…**

**AU: First meeting**

Sign language was an art form, Holly loved watching the fluid motions people made as they silently conversed with each other. How their expressions seemed to perfectly mirror their movements telling a story.

The café had opened up a month ago, run by an entirely deaf staff. They had the best Coffee within 15 miles of Holly's studio, as a medical student she lived off coffee and she only settled for the best coffee when she studied.

Holly had learned vital signs, she knew how to order a double shot espresso and chocolate muffin, she knew how to finger spell, and she knew the signs for emergencies, police, hospital, and bathroom.

She wished that she could converse as fluidly as some of the patrons in the café, they seemed to perform an intricate ballet with their hands, and they understood each other and were understood in return.

Her want to learn the language was new, and purely selfish. A beautiful blonde had moved into her building, with short hair and piercing blue eyes and a range of expressions that Holly found playing out in her dreams.

The few times that Holly had seen her new building mate, she had been accompanied by Evert, the deaf boy who lived three doors down from her, she loved the way Evert's face lit up when the blonde spoke to him, the way their hands moved at a dizzying speed.

Holly knew two things for certain, the blonde was in fact gay because she had seen her in a 2014 Toronto pride t-shirt, and that the blonde has to be out of her league because they had no way of communicating with each other.

These facts however did not stop Holly from gaining the courage to google a list of signs when she saw the blonde sitting alone in the café with a book and a large coffee.

High or delirious from her 6 hour lab and 4 hours study group Holly walked up to the blonde's booth and nervously wiped her sweating hands on her jeans. Her breath caught in her throat when she looked up at Holly and gave her soft confused smile, her eyes questioning why she was standing there.

Quickly and nervously, Holly signed her question, asking the blonde for her number to hopefully meet up for coffee. The woman sitting before her shook her head before reaching out for Holly's hand, she demonstrated the signs to Holly before motioning for her to try again, waiting patiently.

With trembling hands, she asked her question again slowing down to make sure her hands were right positions, Holly ended her question by fingerspelling her name happy to have at least mastered that skill. The blonde smiled and spelled out Gail before pointing to herself, Holly whispered her name under her breath and smiled finally have a name to call the blonde.

Confused Holly watched Gail slide out of the booth slinging her bag over her shoulder; it had all been for nothing she thought to herself as the blonde dug into her bag. She was about to declare defeat and return to her booth when Gail held out a business card and nodded. Holly took the card and watched as Gail left the café with a new determination to learn sign language.

The card read The ASL Group, Gail Peck with her phone number and an e-mail address; she clutched the card triumphantly as she sat back in her booth.

Holly sat in the booth nervously watching the time on her phone; she had learned 50 new signs this week, all in hopes to impress Gail who would be joining her for coffee and minuet now. After a short text message conversation, Holly had asked Gail on a coffee date to which she agreed.

Holly glanced up at the door when Gail walked in; Gail quickly scanned the café before making her way to Holly's booth with a smile. Holly smiled back and signed hello as Gail glanced at the notepad and pen sitting on the table.

"I'm going to put you out of your misery." Gail laughed, sitting across from Holly, all too amused by the confused expression on the brunettes face.

"You can hear?!" Holly gasped, staring at Gail with wide eyes; she quickly covered her mouth "You can hear?" Holly whispered this time gaping at the women in front of her.

"Is that a problem, or do you have some type of deaf girl fetish?" Gail asked, licking her lips as Holly's cheeks turned a deep red.

"Why didn't you say something when I made a food of myself?!" Holly pouted staring down at the table wanting to disappear. Not only had she messed up her signs the first time, but she had also whispered some comment about liking Gail's name.

"You never asked if I could hear, and you sat in your booth and practiced those signs for 20 minutes, I thought it was cute." Gail shrugged ordering two coffees while Holly stared down at her hands. Honestly, Gail had wanted to talk to Holly for weeks but couldn't work up the nerve to make the first move.

"I feel like an ass." Holly sighed, meeting Gail's eyes; the butterflies in her stomach taking flight seeing Gail stare at her so openly.

"I thought nerds were smart." Gail rolled her eyes Holly quirked and eyebrow unsure if the comment was meant to be an insult. "My card says call or text because I would love to hear from you." Gail shook her head as Holly fumbled in her bag searching for the card Gail had given her, sure enough the card said to call or text and under Gail's name it read introductory instructor.

"You are kind of a jerk." Holly mumbled trying to glare at Gail, the women she had only known in fleeting conversations had flustered her and all she wanted to do was smile.

"A cute jerk though. We can speak in only sign language though. I assume you tried to learn the entire language in three days, I'm sure I can decipher it if you want to try." Gail asked trying not to laugh, as Holly's blush deepened.

"Maybe we should start over." Gail nodded, holding her hand out to Holly. "Hi, I'm Gail Peck, a _Hearing_ sign language teacher, and you are very cute when you're embarrassed." Gail blushed watching Holly stare at her extended hand.

"Holly Stewart, pre-med student who both literally and figuratively cannot read the signs." Holly shook Gail's hand and rolled her eyes.


	2. Chapter 2

**Anonymous said:**

**You MUST write more Handsy!**

If I must :)

Holly sat on worn leather couch in Gail's apartment, the apartment in layout was identical to Holly's, where Holly had tile Gail had hardwood, and Holly's walls were stark white while Gail's were a slate gray color. Holly thought the apartment fit Gail perfectly, the worn furniture and the vintage framed movie posters hung on the walls.

"Snacks!" Gail grinned triumphantly as she dumped an armload of junk food onto the coffee table. "What do you want to drink; I have beer and maybe a soda," Gail asked walking back into the kitchen.

"Beer please?" Holly asked, surveying the pile of food Gail had left, a bag of twirlers, a box of milk duds, three single size bags of cheese puffs, a bag of smart food, and granola bars.

"Hands off the cheese puffs," Gail growled from behind Holly with two beers. "Those are mine, I got that healthy stuff you like."

"Sorry." Holly laughed, accepting the beer that Gail held out, they had hung out a few times and Holly found Gail's quirks adorable.

"Are you sure about this, we can watch a normal movie," Gail asked, sitting next to Holly, pulling a pillow into her lap getting comfortable.

"There are subtitles right?" Holly asked, sipping her beer; Gail nodded and picked up the TV remote.

"There will be subtitles." Gail shook her head pressed play.

They were watching In The Can and ASL film that Holly had seen the poster for in the ASL Center last week. Holly was surprised that an entire production company produced films in sign language and had practically begged Gail to watch it with her.

Gail started the movie and they both focused on the screen, Holly had been trying to improve her sign language, determined to learn the language. It helped that Gail was patient and wanted to assist in her learning, as did Evert, who wanted hearing friends.

Half way through the movie Holly found her attention drifting to Gail, whose hands absently signed with Movie, her attention still on the screen. Holly tried to make her glances sublet but found it getting harder and harder to look away from Gail's hands.

Holly reached out and grabbed Gail's hand lacing her fingers with the blondes. "I can't pay attention to the movie with you doing that." Holly smiled, turning back to the screen; doing an internal happy dance that Gail hadn't pulled her hand away.

Gail tried to contain her smile, Holly was holding her hand and it didn't feel weird or forced, it seemed natural and comforting. They were sitting closer by the time the movie ended than they were when it started.

"That was good." Holly glanced down at their joined hands in her lap, smiling at the way Gail's thumb absently traveled along the side of her hand. Honestly, she hadn't paid much attention to the last part of the movie, distracted by the feel of Gail's hand in her own.

"Did you get any of it without the subtitles?" Gail asked shifting closer to Holly.  
"They were signing too fast." Holly shook her head and looked up at Gail. "Why did you learn sign language?" Holly asked, turning to face Gail.

"I didn't talk until I was 11, not for any medical reason, I just didn't feel like I had anything to say. My parents hated it though, they stuck me in classes after taking me to every doctor in Canada." Gail shrugged, searching Holly's eyes. "Out of frustration I started talking in middle school, I got teased."

"I started teaching at the center in high school, I meet kids who lost their hearing from accidents or illnesses and I help them find their voices." Gail laughed uncomfortably; she had never told anyone why she had learned sign language or why she taught at the center.

"You're great with the kids." Holly smiled, trying to bring Gail's real smile back.  
"Why do you want to be a doctor?" Gail asked after a moment, the silence returning to the easy silence they were used to sharing.

"I was obsessed with the TV show ER as a kid, and I wanted to be them, I have never thought of being anything else, it all seems so boring to me." Holly smiled; her phone buzzing on the coffee table brought them out of their bubble.

"I should go, my lab start at 6 tomorrow," Holly muttered when she saw that it was already past midnight, she slowly released Gail's hand from her grip and stood from the couch.

Gail stood up and walked Holly to the door, both of them drawing the process out as much as possible.

"Text me when you're out of your lab, maybe we can go for lunch?" Gail smiled opening the door leaning against it staring down at her feet.

"I Will." Holly smiled, leaned forwards to kiss Gail's Cheek at the same time Gail turned to her, their lips met for a brief moment before they pulled back blushing.

"I'll see you tomorrow." Holly smiled and quickly made her way down the hall towards the elevator.


	3. Chapter 3

Holly was in a funk, or so her friends would tell you if you inquired about her current state of flustered.

"Holly, what is with you, I have never seen you this worked up?" Reggie asked setting a beer in front of the sulking brunette. For the past week Holly had been distant and quick to anger, both were extremely uncharacteristic for the usually calm and collected doctor to be.

"Holly's crush has been spotted twice this week getting close to a dark skinned beauty or as Holly likes to call her, the tramp in the blue dress." Rachel laughed over the rim of her glass; Holly just glared at her and chewed on her lip.

It was true though, since the awkward kiss Holly had seen Gail with a tall and undoubtedly beautiful woman, each time Gail had been dressed impeccably in a tight dress, leg shaping heals and pristine makeup.

Holly had been ignoring Gail's texts since the last time she saw the woman dragging Gail into a waiting town car by the hand laughing about something Holly was sure had to be stupid.

"You're upset because the person you aren't dating is hanging out with someone else?" Reggie asked eyeing the people in the crowded bar, searching for the rest of their group who would be arriving any moment.

"Shut up, can we please not talk about this?" Holly asked sipping her beer, wanting to be out of the spotlight. She knew that she was acting childish but it sucked to see Gail with someone else.

"Did you ask her about it, it could be nothing." Lisa tried to reason with her best friend; as much as she hated everyone Holly dated, she always tried to be the voice of reason.

"She's been avoiding her texts." Rachel countered quickly standing up to greet their friends that she spotted near the entrance.

"I'm right here guys, I can here you. You know that right?!" Holly asked letting her hands fall to the table with a thud.

"We are only trying to help." Reggie rolled his eyes before following Rachel towards the group of new comers. The bar they had picked for the night had been close to both the school and the hospital and didn't seem as shitty as the other bars in the area.

"I'm going to get another beer." Holly huffed quickly making her way to the bar trying to detach herself from her friends less than helpful ways. They had dragged her out of the hospital against her better judgment and into the bar, all of them determined to lift her sour mood.

"For a dive bar, most of these people are dressed very well." Lisa glanced around having followed Holly, Holly quickly scanned the room and noticed that most of the people were in suits and cocktail dresses.

"Maybe we missed the dress code?" Holly shrugged before ordering a beer from the bartender who was in tattered jeans and a t-shirt.

"It's the after party to the police wedding of the year." The bartender laughed setting a new beer in front of Holly. "The guests of honor just walked in." The bar tender motioned to the door, Holly's eyes followed and she nearly dropped her beer.

Gail stood near the door taking off her coat, the dress she was wearing made her mouth go dry, the basil green dress hugged her curves and made her skin appear to be made of marble. Holly blinked a few times and nearly saw red when the woman she had seen Gail with earlier that week kissed the blonde on the cheek and walked towards a table at the back of the room.

She watched the blonde sign to a red headed man for a moment before Holly worried about being caught staring; she had to find an escape plan. Holly quickly turned to the bar and finished her beer fishing her money out of her pocket.

"Fancy seeing you here." Holly froze hearing Gail's voice behind her, there was no way to avoid this Holly thought turning around trying to look as disinterested as possible.

"I was just leaving." Holly nodded throwing a twenty on the bar aimlessly as she tried to move past Gail.

"Can I walk you out?" Gail asked smiling; Holly could see the mischief playing in Gail's eyes as well as the glossy sheen giving away Gail's less than sober state.

"You should get back to your date." Holly gritted trying to move past the blonde who had quickly blocked her path, with a perplexed expression.

"My date?" Gail questioned turning to glance at the table her friends were sitting at, the red headed man signed something quickly to Gail who shook her head and turned back to Holly. "I'm pretty sure I didn't come with a date." Gail eyed Holly who was glaring at the woman who had kissed Gail's cheek.

"Are you sure she knows that, you two have seemed pretty close all week." Holly rolled her eyes wanting to leave, to avoid this situation in its entirety.

"You have a very adorable streak of jealousy Holly." Gail dolled stepping into Holly's personal space, Holly could smell something sweet on her breath. "Is that why you've been ignoring my texts, because of Tracie?" Gail asked reaching for Holly's hand, gently brushing her fingers along her knuckles.

"If you were seeing someone you should have told me." Holly tried to pull away but Gail laced their fingers together and stepped forward effectively backing Holly into the bar.

"We haven't made anything official, but I thought I was seeing you." Gail smirked, the alcohol in her system giving her the courage to be forward with Holly.

"Then who is she?" Holly asked motioning towards the woman walking in their direction with a concerned expression. She signed something to Gail and Holly wanted to kick herself for being unable to pick up ASL as quickly as she picked up medical information.

"Tracie!" Gail laughed reaching out with her free hand to pull the newcomer into her side. The woman glanced at Gail before turning to Holly, who was trying to force her hand from Gail's grip, but the blonde just held on tighter.

"I'm sorry, Gail must have had more to drink than we realized." Tracie muttered confused by Gail's sudden clinginess towards the stranger at the bar as well as towards herself. "I will make sure she leaves you alone, she normally isn't like this." Tracie nodded trying to pull Gail back towards their table, Holly's expression screamed _help me_.

"Tracie, no, this is Holly!" Gail smiled moving away from Tracie and back into Holly's personal space, swaying slightly.

"Holly." Gail ran her thumb along the side of Holly's hand. "This is Tracie, who as of tonight is my sister-in-law. For some reason she married my dork of a big brother." Gail laughed seeing the look of horror on Holly's face; the pair quickly shook hands much to Holly's embarrassment.

"Are you sure you can handle this one?" Tracie asked offering a small smile as Gail stared unabashedly at Holly's face, mostly her lips.

"I think I'll be ok." Holly nodded giving Tracie and apologetic smile; she had been caught glaring at the woman more than once during her conversation with Gail. "It was nice to meet you." Holly laughed nervously as the woman retreated to her table kissing the red headed man who had been watching the entire interaction.

"Are you that drunk?" Holly asked as Gail started to sway from left to right slowly. "I've been drinking, but I'm not drunk. Tracie just think's I'm drunk because I'm not a fan of PDA." Gail smiled swinging their joined hands between them.

"Are you done ignoring me?" Gail whined tugging on Holly's hand.

"I'm an idiot." Holly laughed staring down at the space between them. "I just hated the idea of you with someone else after we had been hanging out. I know we're not dating bu- Holly was cut off the pressure of Gail's lips on hers swallowing any words she had left.

"You talk too much." Gail laughed pulling away from Holly; she scraped her teeth along her lower lips before smiling. "Will you go on a date with me?" Gail asked grinning at the dazed expression occupying Holly's face.

Holly nodded once before kissing Gail again quickly. "You should get back to your friends." Gail laughed tracing Holly's jaw with her thumb. "They are all staring." Gail motioned towards the group of Holly's classmates who were in fact staring at the pair slack jawed.

"I'll call you tomorrow." Gail pressed her lips to Holly's cheek before retreating to her table, Holly watched for a moment dreading the impending interrogation from her friends.


End file.
